I know the term “underwear thieves” is bizarre, and I didn’t quite believe it myself when I first heard this. However, more than one Japanese person has told me to be careful with hanging my underwear in sight. This is because there is a possibility that it will be stolen – by strange Japanese men.

I have since heard stories from Japanese friends and acquaintances about having their bras and knickers pinched from their washing lines on the ground and even first floors of their flats!

Smegging Underwear Thieves?!

To make sure I was being factually accurate, I looked up this information on a legitimate Japanese website first. You can access it here.

Underwear thieves (下着泥棒 or “shitagi dorobou” in Japanese) usually spend time choosing a house carefully. They tend to prey on women who live alone and often visit three or four times before trying anything. This is to check how many people are around, what time the woman is usually at home – and how easy it would be to steal her underwear.

Once they have successfully infiltrated her front garden or balcony and taken her lingerie hostage, they will likely try it again.

This also occurs at launderettes, so make sure to be there at the exact time your laundry cycle finishes to collect your washing. Or else a strange Japanese man might get there first.

Some people even go as far as breaking into your house to rummage through your knicker drawer! Some guys who start off as general thieves take knickers with them as a special prize. This sometimes leads to them becoming only underwear thieves, leaving all valuables behind and taking siege of bras, pants and nothing more.

The Man on the Balcony

An English student of mine told me a horror story about a friend of hers. She lived on the first floor of a building (the second floor for Japanese and Americans) and often felt like she was being watched.

One day, she awoke and opened her curtains to find an unknown Japanese man curled up asleep on her balcony.

She immediately called the police and the guy was escorted away. The police later reported that the man had seen her lingerie hanging outside, which had alerted him to the fact that a single female was living there. And that was when he apparently thought he’d try his luck or something… Smegging heck! It’s like a Halloween nightmare! Speaking of, check out how the Japanese celebrate Halloween in Tokyo in this post here.

The Man Whose Boxers Were Stolen

Apparently it doesn’t just happen to women! I have also been told by another friend that he had his boxers nicked too. What is the world coming to?

Why Do They Want to Steal Women’s Underwear?

According to the Japanese website, the first time they take underwear, it’s because they see it hanging out and get a sudden urge to pinch it. It’s said that the underwear thieves have thoughts such as “Wow, that’s sexy… and someone has worn it…”

It’s like a forbidden fruit.

If they succeed in taking the prized underwear, the habit develops into an addiction. Some Japanese guys get such a rush out of stealing underwear that they gather large collections at home, treating them almost like trophies.

It often happens that some start with taking something from the ground floor, then “levelling up” and going to the first floor of the same building. They then move up the following floors in pursuit of “conquering” the entire building in a total underwear siege.

What to Do If Your Underwear Is Stolen

The Japanese website advises you to inform the police. However, it says that unless several other neighbours have reported similar issues, they probably won’t do anything about it.

In the case of several reports, though, they might send a police car to patrol the area and keep an eye out for the perpetrator.

How to Avoid Having Your Underwear Stolen

What I have taken to doing in light of all this (especially as I live on the ground floor with a tiny front garden) is to first hang a protective towel, flannel or scarf around the outside of my underwear-drying apparatus. I then fill the inside section with my knickers to keep them away from prying eyes as they dry.

Another way to protect your underwear is to hang it indoors while it dries.

Some women also go so far as to hang out male underwear at the same time to make it appear as if they are not living alone.

Is It Extra Hassle?

Yes.

Would I Rather Strange Japanese Men Were Less Strange?

Yes. But it’s not everyone, so that’s a relief.

It’s also mostly a problem on the ground floor, which is why Japanese people prefer not to rent or buy ground-floor properties.

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Thank you for reading my warning. For those wishing to move to Japan or simply move house within Japan, please take heed. Apparently this is a frequent occurrence here!

みんなさん気をつけてね！

Jade xxx